Download - "The Starshield" Summer Edition 2012 (Vol.5)

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Page 1: "The Starshield" Summer Edition 2012 (Vol.5)

Volume V Summer Edition 2012

OOOΥΥΥΔΔΔΕΕΕΝΝΝ ΔΔΔΙΙΙΑΑΑΣΣΣΠΠΠΑΑΑΣΣΣΕΕΕΙΙΙ ΗΗΗΜΜΜΑΑΑΣΣΣ

TTTHHHEEE SSSTTTAAARRRSSSHHHIIIEEELLLDDD THETA SIGMA CHAPTER OF PI KAPPA PHI

Summer Edition

Taking the Best and Making Them Better.

ΠΚΦ

Page 2: "The Starshield" Summer Edition 2012 (Vol.5)

Volume V Summer Edition 2012

Roseball 2012

Pi Kapp College: The Emerging Leaders Institute

The 4th Annual Roseball Ceremony was held at Cesar’s Palace on the illustrious Las Vegas Strip. The three-day event brought the

entire chapter together to celebrate the accomplishments of the year, honor those brothers who have gone above and beyond with their service to Pi Kappa Phi, and to crown the 2012 Rose Queen. During the ceremony President Varela recognized those members of the chapter who took on the responsibility of a leadership position. Miles Boyer, Coordinator of Special Events presented the chapter awards to the following individuals: Ben Davidson & Cesar Roldan - Mr. Push America, Chad Broking & Kyle Romero - Best Big & Little Brother, Jovani Tejada & Anthony Samperio - Most Underappreciated, Erik Hayhurst - Most Dedicated, and Jaime Varela - Mr. Pi Kappa Phi. The 2012 Rose Queen was also crowned after receiving a majority vote from the chapter. Congratulations to McKenzie Chang! Theta Sigma is honored to have you represent the best of Pi Kappa Phi!

The 53rd Supreme Chapter was held at Washington D.C. in early August. This five-day legislative conference, which is held every two years, drew two delegates from each of the 167 active chapters, family, friends of the fraternity and hundreds of alumni. Nearly 50 resolutions ranging from member dues increases to changes to the Student Creed were proposed throughout the four Supreme Sessions. Nominations and elections were also held for the 2012-2014 National Council also known as the Pi Kappa Phi Board of Directors. Major General to the Air Force Tom Carter and past-Chief of Technology for Bell Telephone Co. John Seazholtz were inducted into the Pi Kappa Phi Hall of Fame. President Jaime Varela and Vice President Blaine Waymire represented Theta Sigma with 71 votes. Both delegates sat and drafted resolutions for the Scholarship and Member Education committees. Theta Sigma’s exceptional work was also recognized with the Gold Star Award in appreciation of the outstanding work done with raising funds and awareness for people with disabilities through Push America in 2011-2012. The chapter also received the Recruitment Excellence Award for achieving a chapter size in the top quartile at Cal State University, Long Beach. On the final day, over 1,000 Pi Kapps, family and friends welcomed the Build America and Journey of Hope participants at the Capitol Building’s Main Lawn. President Varela and Vice President Waymire were delighted to greet Theta Sigma’s J.O.H. riders, Cesar Roldan and Ben Davidson, after cycling their final moments up Constitution Ave. This Supreme Chapter marked the 10th anniversary for Build America, the 25th anniversary for the Journey of Hope and the 35th anniversary for Push America.

Supreme Chapter, Washington D.C.

Every summer Pi Kappa Phi holds a training conference in Charleston, South Carolina for young emerging leaders from chapters across the country. This training conference called Pi Kapp College is held in the College of Charleston, the same college where the fraternity was founded. This year two Theta Sigma brothers flew to the South to attend the six-day conference. Chris Myrter and Chad Broking, both Zeta Class initiates from spring 2010 wanted to gain the leadership skills necessary to lead a successful chapter and career once they graduate. During their stay in the historic town of Charleston, brothers Chad and Chris attended various seminars, workshops, group discussions and tours all geared towards building them up to be better men and better leaders. Despite the extreme heat and humidity, the two brothers had an opportunity to visit the Alpha Chapter house of Pi Kappa Phi. They also had the chance to visit Founding Father Simon Fogarty’s house on 90 Broad St. where the three founders held their first fraternity meeting. The entire Pi Kapp College class also visited the gifts to the fraternity like the Rose Garden, the Founder’s Bell Tower, the Pi Kappa Phi Clock, and the Pi Kappa Phi Gateway. Both brothers feel the networking opportunities helped them the most. Getting the chance to meet brothers from chapters across the nation and building close friendships in a matter of six days was extremely invaluable especially since both members hope to serve on the Theta Sigma Executive Council next year.

Page 3: "The Starshield" Summer Edition 2012 (Vol.5)

Volume V Summer Edition 2012

Ben & Cesar’s Journey of Hope ABILITIES.

TEAMWORK. EMPATHY.

INTEGRITY.

In 1987, Bruce Rogers, a Pi Kappa Phi alumnus of Stetson University, rode his bicycle from San Francisco to Washington D.C. in order to bring more awareness to Push America and people with disabilities. He cycled for three consecutive months and finally reached D.C. on Aug. 13. The following year, Jim Karlovec of Bowling Green State University, became the first project manager of the Journey of Hope. He was able to recruit 21 Pi Kapps from various chapters to ride across the country and fundraise a total of $20,000. That year, J.O.H. was officially integrated with Push America.

Today, J.O.H. continues to raise money and spread awareness for people with disabilities by recruiting over 100 Pi Kapps annually. Each cyclist is mandated to raise a minimum of $5,500 and each crewmember raises a minimum of $2,500. The program generates over $500,000 annually. The voyage covers a total of 32 states and over 12,000 miles are collectively ridden each year. After 25 years, Pi Kappa Phi has raised over $14 million and approximately 1,000 Pi Kapps from across the country have participated, making J.O.H. the largest fraternal fundraising and awareness event in the nation.

In an attempt to reach millions of people, J.O.H. participants select to ride in one of three routes: the North, South and Trans America Route. The North Route begins in San Francisco and the Trans America Route starts in Seattle. This year was the first time the South Route began in Long Beach. At the end of the two-month journey, the three teams meet at the same time as they enter Washington D.C. When they arrive at their final destination on the Capitol Building’s lawn, families, friends, media and the entire Pi Kappa Phi and Push America staff are there to greet them. Throughout the ride, each team reaches out to television, radio, newspapers, civic groups, and community leaders to raise awareness.

This summer, Ben Davidson and Cesar Roldan, rode the South Route of J.O.H. making them the second group of Theta Sigma brothers to ride. Since the South Route began in Downtown Long Beach near the Queen Mary, many cyclists from different chapters across the nation flew in a few days before the kick-off to complete their J.O.H. Orientation, Skills Assessment Training and to enjoy everything Los Angeles has to offer. The day before departing, Theta Sigma coordinated and hosted the official Journey Of Hope Kick-off Dinner at the Mexican restaurant, El Torito. As a gift of appreciation, the entire team presented Theta Sigma with a team shirt to display at the chapter house and was also named an official sponsor of the J.O.H. South Route.

Traveling with a team of 30 cyclists and eight crewmembers, Ben and Cesar rode an average of 75 miles per day for 60 days. With much support from the chapter, family and friends, Ben and Cesar were able to collectively fundraise $11,608.83. They did not simply cycle across the United States, but rather cycled to inspire the hundreds of people they met along the way. After long days, instead of recovering for the next morning’s ride, they would participate in “Friendship Visits” with local groups that support people with disabilities. They would dance and participate in fireside sing-a-longs and dinners. They would even get to swim at pool parties and play competitive games of wheelchair basketball. Ben and Cesar were also part of community arrival events where city mayors would declare “Push America Day” and parades would be organized for the cyclists. Over all, the experience was life changing for both young men. They both feel they have a deeper understanding of what it means to give back to others in need. Theta Sigma is proud of Ben and Cesar’s accomplishments in Journey of Hope and their commitment to Push America’s mission: “Building Leaders of Tomorrow By Serving People With Disabilities Today.”

To learn more about their experiences, please visit their Facebook pages below:

Visit Facebook.com & Search: Ben Davidson’s Journey of Hope 2012

Visit Facebook.com & Search: Cesar’s Journey of Hope